Folk Magic
"Magical practices throughout the islands can vary greatly, and appear to be responsive to the beliefs of the local communities. I believe this is an application of the Egregoric Force that must be studied more thoroughly, and it will be the focus of my studies now that we have secured an experimental population." - from the lab journal of Niten, shortly after the Conquest of Ynys
In the world of the Great Ring, there are two major forms of Magic. One of these is known as 'True Magic', and is the use of one's own spiritual energy to create supernatural effects. The other depends on the beliefs of a community or culture, and is known as 'Folk Magic'.
Folk magic is empowered by the Egregoric Force. When a community or culture shares a set of beliefs about the supernatural, those beliefs will create metaphysical pressure on the region where they live. This pressure shapes the local metaphysical environment, allowing otherwise mundane activities to have supernatural effects.
Because Folk Magic is derived from local cultural beliefs, it can be wildly different from one island to the next. Practitioners of Folk Magic are usually proficient only in their local variety, and find that their abilities cease to function when they move from one locale to another. This has caused True Mages to disdain the powers of Folk Magicians, often to their detriment. In the places where their particular style of magic exists, Folk Magicians can be just as powerful as True Mages, although usually not as flashy.
Folk Magic is most effective when dealing with supernatural elements, and least effective at influencing the physical world. It is very rare to see a Folk Magician who can conjure a fireball. More often Folk Magic will focus on protection, healing, divination, and luck. One of the most widespread Folk Magic beliefs is that a line of salt can bar supernatural creatures, with variations that include running water, the threshold of a home, or a line drawn by a holy person. In some places the definition of 'supernatural creature' can extend to include True Mages and Avatars, which can come as quite a shock to those who visit. Local Folk Magic will make use of the resources available where they live, and will often be able to use the local flora and fauna to speed healing, ward off evil, and create a variety of other magical effects. They often also include rituals and talismans, and can be blended with other supernatural gifts as well.
Movable Magic
Not all cultures are tied to a particular location, and this does not prevent them from having their own forms of Folk Magic. Two notable examples of this are sailors and maskers. Both of these groups are found all over the Great Ring, and both have unique styles of magic that only function in their special environments. Sailor Folk Magic and superstitions only hold sway on board ships, while the beliefs of the Maskers shape the metaphysical environments wherever they set up an active performance. For an example of a movable form of Folk Magic, you can read about the sailor's art of Wind-Whistling.
Superstitions
Not all Folk Magic is beneficial to the people who create and use it. All sorts of beliefs can be wrapped into a culture, resulting in myriad local magical conditions. In some places, improper burial will guarantee that the corpse rises to come back home, usually hungry. In others, spilled salt or a black cat may ruin your day, or even foretell death. It's important to learn the local taboos when you travel to a new place, or you might find out just how dangerous their local superstitions can be.
The Magic of Social Animals
Folk Magic is not solely limited to those who we typically call people - it can arise in any community that has the ability to think at some level. Wolves sometimes will display this, and many scholars believe that bumblebees can only fly because they collectively believe they can. The most specatacular example of this is the Dungeon Squirrel, which has been known to create magical environments that can stop time, raise the undead, or create enchanted traps. You can read more about these bizarre creatures here.
I love the difference between Folk Magic and True Magic, especially that Folk Magic is usually limited by culture/location. That makes sense, due to its origins. Sailors are definitely a nice exception to that.
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Thanks! I’m looking forward to developing the Folk Magic idea further, and delving into some of ways it has manifested in different areas.